Spreading device



Dec. 17, 1935. w. WHITING SPREADING DEVICE Filed Dec. 15, 1934 INVENTOR v Mum/1 M/r/m BY ATTORNEYS Patented 15; 17, 1935 UNITED STATES SPREADING DEVICE William Whiting, Holyoke, Mass.,' assignor to Whiting Paper Company, Holyoke, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 13, 1934, Serial No. 757,355

5 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in spreading devices for use with water dry paper. The general object of the invention is to provide a device of this character aifording more accurate control of the spreading operation than has hitherto been possible and to provide a structure which will permit of the necessary adjustments without interrupting'or otherwise interfering with the travel of the web of paper being operated on. Other and further objects will be apparent in the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the device;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1; a

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the supporting bracket for certain elements of the adjusting mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the bracket shown in Fig. 3; and V Fig. 5 is an end view of said bracket looking from the right in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing, the spreading mechanism is shown carried by a rod I!) mounted transversely of the paper machine with which the spreader is associated. Rod I0 is supported for vertical adjustment at its ends by standards it supported in any suitable manner from the side frames of the paper machine not shown, the vertical adjustment being provided for by adjusting screws l2. The spreading mechanism comprises two rolls l3 and I4, positioned in end to end relation, each roll extending substantially half way across the width of the web and arranged to be positioned in varying angular relation to each other. is supported by a bar l5 centrally pivotedat It to rod H3. The pivot I3 may take any desired form but as shown comprisesga bolt provided at its lower end with an anchor plate l8 engaging the under side of the rod l0 and at its upper end with a wing nut I9. The upper side of rod I!) is provided with a bearing plate 20 through which; the belt I! passes and upon which the bar l5 rests and turns. .Plate 20 is secured to the rod ID 'by means of bolts 2|. Each roll is rotatably mounted in spaced bearing brackets 22 and 23 secured to the ends of bars l5. The shafts of the rolls are extended beyond the'inner brackets 22 and are provided with short roll sections or extensions 24 which form continuations of the rolls and permit the effective ends of the spreader rolls to be brought. closely adjacent to each other.

The spaces 25 between the main portions l3 and.

For this purpose each roll.

' I4 and the end portions 24 of the rolls are only sufficient to accommodate the bearings 22 and do notmaterially affect the operation of the rolls. Means are provided for individually or simultaneously swinging the rolls l3 and I4 about their 5 pivots I6. This means comprises a saddle block 25 secured at the center of bar II] by bolts 21 and provided adjacent its ends with angular extensions 28 and 29 which form bearings for beveled gear trains 30 and 3| respectively. Bar [5 of 10 supporting roll I4 is provided adjacent its inner end with a U-shaped member 32 pivotally secured to the bar by bolt 34. A threaded shaft 35 passes through suitable openings formed in the sides of the U-member 32 and engages in a nut 15 36 non-rotatably held between the arms of the U. Shaft '35 extends through a bearing 31 formed in member 29 and is provided with a beveled gear 38 meshing with a gear 39 secured to the end of 'a hollow shaft 40 having one end jour- 20 naled in a bearing 4| formed in member 29, the outer end being rotatably supported in a bearing 42 secured to the adjacent standard II. The outer end of hollow shaft 40 is provided with a hand wheel 43. 5 The bar l5 supporting roll I3 is provided with a 'U-shaped member 44 secured to the bar by bolt 45. A threaded shaft 46 passes through the sides of the U-shaped member and a nut 41 nonrotatably held between said sides. Shaft 46 is journaled in a bearing 48 formed in member 28 and provided with a beveled gear 49 meshing with a beveled gear 50 secured to the end of a shaft 5| journaled adjacent the beveled gear 50 in a bearing 52 formed in angle 28. Shaft 5| extends through hollow shaft 40 and is provided on its outer end with a hand wheel 53, positioned adjacent hand wheel 43. a

It will be apparent from the above description that rotation of hand wheel 43 will through 40.

beveled gears 38 and 39 rotate threaded shaft 35 to swing the roll l4 about its pivot l6. Similarly rotation of hand wheel '53 will through beveled gears 49 and 50, rotate shaft 46 to swing roll l3 about its pivot l6. It will also be evident that when hand wheels 43 and 53 are moved simultaneously the rolls l3 and 4 will be moved simultaneously or that by moving either one of the hand wheels its associated roll alone may be angularly adjusted. It will be further evident that these adjustments may be made while the web of paper indicated in dotted line at A continues to travel over therolls. This provision for separate or simultaneous adjustment of the spreading rolls during the travel of the web pro- 55 vides complete and accurate control of the spreading operation of the spreader, resulting in a more uniform product. Further, the extension of the adjacent ends of the rolls beyond their bearings permit said ends of the rolls to be brought closely adjacent, increasing the uniformity and efiectiveness of the operation of the rolls.

I claim:

1. A spreading device for webs of paper comprising a pair of rolls positioned in end to end relation across the path of travel of the web, a pair of spaced bearings for each of the rolls, the adjacent ends of the rolls being extended beyond their respective adjacent bearings to position the ends of the rolls closely together, each roll being independently pivoted to swing about an axis normal to the web, and means to swing the rolls about their pivots.

2. A spreading device for webs of paper comprising a pair of rolls positioned in end to end relation across the path of travel of the web, a pair of spaced bearings for each of the roll-s, ad-

jacent ends of the rolls being extended beyond their respective adjacent bearings to position the ends of the rolls closely together, each roll being independently pivoted to swing about an axis normal to the web, and means to swing the rolls about their pivots, said means being arranged to selectively move the rolls separately and simultaneously.

3. A spreading device for webs of paper comprising a vertically adjustable rod mounted transversely of and beneath .the path of travel of the Web, a pair of rolls positioned in end to end relation across the path of travel of the web, independent bearings for each roll secured to bars pivoted to said rod, the adjacent ends of the rolls being extended beyond their bearings to position said ends of the rolls closely together, means connected to the adjacent ends of said bars and operable to swing the bars about their pivots, and means to actuate the bar operating means, said actuating means being positioned at the side of the device beyond the edge of the traveling web.

4. A spreading device for webs of paper which 5 comprises a vertically adjustable rod mounted transversely of and beneath the path of travel of the web, a pair of rolls positioned in end to end relation across the path of travel of the web, independent bearings for each roll secured to a bar 10 pivoted to said rod, the adjacent ends of the rolls being extended beyond their bearings to position the effective ends of the rolls closely together, shafts having threaded connections respectively with the roll supporting bars to swing the latter 15 about their pivots upon rotation of the shafts, bevel gears secured to said shafts, a hollow shaft provided at one end with a gear meshing with one of said bevel gears, said shaft extending outwardly beyond the edge of the web, a shaft ex- 20 tending through said hollow shaft and provided at its inner end with a gear meshing with the second bevel gear, and hand wheels secured to the outer ends'of the two last mentioned shafts whereby the rolls may be individually or simul- 2 5 taneously rotated about their pivots.

5. A spreading device for webs of paper comprising a vertically adjustable support positioned transversely with respect to the path of travel of the web, a pair of rolls positioned in closely ad- 30 jacent end to end relation across the path of travel of the web, independent bearings for each roll secured to bars pivoted to said support, means connected to said bars and operable to swing the bars about their pivots, and means to actuate the bar operating means, said actuating means being positioned at the side of the device adjacent the edge of the traveling web.

WILLIAM WHI'I'ING. 0 

